25 Things I Want Myself to Know at 25

Remember when we were kids how people would ask, “What do you want to do when you grow up?”

Grow up. It seemed light years away. To my five-year-old self, “grown up” was being the age of the "big kids" on the playground. As far as I understood, humans reached maturity at age nine, lasted through high school, then died. Comprehension of lifespan was completely beyond my childhood grasp.

As I have attempted to “grow up” over the last 25 years, with each year I find myself thinking, “Gosh, I thought I would feel older than this.” I think those feelings mainly stem from what my little-self expected my grown-self to be doing by now. I probably would have thought I’d be married and four kids deep, spending my time as a whale trainer and professional singer. Obviously.

Apparently since I have not accomplished any of the above, I still have a long way to go before I am “grown up.” Thankfully, what I’ve learned in my 25 years of life is that life is not a destination, it is a journey and every year is a new step (cliché but true). I don’t think people ever really “grow up” but we can keep growing.

A couple of weeks ago I ran across a blog entitled “25 Things I Want Myself to Know at 25,” and I became inspired to write my own list. So below you will find not a to-do list, but instead some reminders to help me live my next step into the future growing upward.

25 Things I Want Myself to Know at 25

1. Stop dieting and trying to “lose 5 pounds.” Accept the fact that your body will never be like it was in high school. You have curves now! Instead pay more attention to what kind of food is healthy and good for you and eat more of it.

2. Sleep more. You don’t need to watch one more episode of “The Office” on Netflix before bed. You have already seen it and it is midnight, go to bed.

3. You have a college degree and the resume some people would die for. You don’t have to be living paycheck to paycheck. Keep looking. A job that is fun AND will feed, house, and clothe you is out there. Also, someday you are going to want a home, health insurance and a car that isn’t from the Jurassic period. Think about that.

4. Make more time to actually call people. Liking someone’s Instagram photo is not the same as “staying in touch.”

5. You are no longer allowed to wear A-line skirts or anything with ruffles or polka dots. These items only look good on toddlers…and Zooey Deschanel. That girl can rock anything.

Photo credit Lucky Magazine

6. You are also no longer allowed to wear tube tops, bedazzled nightclub dresses or jeans with rips in them. You are 25 now. Classy is the new sexy.

7. Read more books. They aren’t just for the beach or airports. Get your imagination going again and read on purpose.

8. Follow the news. Hellooo!? Do you have any idea what is going on in the Middle East? You are an adult. Exist responsibly and be aware of what is happening in our country and our world.

9. Stop comparing yourself to friends who are married and have kids. Everyone has a different path and purpose. I know you don’t want that life now but it doesn’t mean you will miss the boat if you wait. You still have plenty of time.

10. Take care of your skin. Sunscreen was not invented for only the white and pasty.

11. Talk to more people. Know your neighbors and be genuinely interested in your cashiers, baristas, and co-workers. They could have amazing stories to tell.

12. For goodness sakes, learn how to cook. You cannot live off microwave and boxed dinners forever. Get creative with food and be okay with it tasting burnt for a while, you will get there.

Those were chocolate cookies, right?

13. Drinking a bottle of wine by yourself in one night and not being hungover the next day is NOT an accomplishment. Have some self-control and don’t kill your liver.

14. Immerse yourself in the beauty around you. Stop to smell flowers, listen to the birds or a great Beatles album on vinyl. Jump in the ocean at least three times a week. You live up the street from it! Do you know how lucky you are!?

15. Keep dreaming. You have got some big ideas. Don’t let everyday life brush them to the side. Keep your dreams at the front of your mind and never stop pursuing them.

16. Do more stuff that scares you. Go skydiving, swim with sharks, kill that really big spider. Every time you overcome your fears you get a little more confident in yourself.

17. I’m not sure if you realize this but there is a guitar in your closet that has a layer of dust on it one inch thick. Pull that baby out! You used to know like…two songs! Keep learning. Music is in your blood and practicing a new instrument is tough but rewarding.

18. Failure is part of life. You are going to mess up lots. You know this because you already have. Never forget what Rafiki told you when you were seven years old…

19. Remember you are an example. Whether it is to your younger siblings, friends, or just people you pass on the street. You have the power to inspire others with your own good choices so make lots of them.

20. It’s ok to still love Disney. It’s ok that you love to dress up and sing and dance and be silly. That is who you are. Embrace your inner child and never ever let it go.

Yes, I am 25 and still want to be Belle when I grow up

21. Learn how to change a tire. You aren’t always going to have a man. Be able to take care of yourself.

22. Never stop giving. You don’t have a quota. If you donate or volunteer, do not pat yourself on the back and do nothing for a few months. It is your duty to serve others and there is ALWAYS need.

23. Recognize how others love you. Just because you show your love differently doesn’t mean you love them more. Let others love you the way they know how.

24. Live with less. You do not need all of the shoes, purses and other random crap that you have. This means avoiding Ross, Target and all thrift stores. Why must they make all of our money disappear?

25. Always be thankful. For having a family, a home, food on the table, air in your lungs. You are truly blessed and deeply loved.